-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Aimee Copeland on Tuesday reached another milestone by being upgraded from critical to serious condition at the Georgia hospital where she has valiantly fought a condition caused by flesh-eating bacteria .

According to Doctors Hospital of Augusta , both critical and serious conditions include a patient having vital signs that are unstable and not within normal limits . Whereas a patient in critical condition may be unconscious and have indicators that are `` unfavorable , '' a person in serious condition is acutely ill with indicators that are `` questionable . ''

Copeland , 24 , late last month began breathing on her own and talking for the first time in weeks , and even cracked jokes .

The bacteria led surgeons to amputate her hands , part of her abdomen , one of her legs and her remaining foot in an effort to stay ahead of the disease .

The young Snellville , Georgia , woman 's ordeal began May 1 , when she was riding a makeshift zip line across the Little Tallapoosa River , about 50 miles west of Atlanta . The line snapped , and she fell and got a gash in her left calf that took 22 staples to close .

Three days later , still in pain , she went to an emergency room . Doctors eventually determined she had necrotizing fasciitis caused by the flesh-devouring bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila .

Surviving flesh-eating bacteria

Since then , her father , Andy , has written regularly about her situation , and the psychology department at the University of West Georgia -- where Aimee has been pursuing her master 's degree in psychology -- also has posted regular updates online .

Family counters flesh-eating bacteria with faith

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Aimee Copeland is now listed in serious condition

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Copeland , 24 , is battling necrotizing fasciitis caused by flesh-devouring bacteria

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She has been hospitalized for more than a month